By Asim Waqif
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Dhi Contemporary, a new gallery, beckons art connoisseurs in Hyderabad. A branch of Dhi Artspace in Ameerpet, the gallery, launched recently at Kakatiya Hills in Madhapur, is a place to appreciate and engage with different contemporary art practices in India. The space heralds a new beginning for its director, Bhargavi Gundala, whose artistic journey began with Dhi Artspace in 2014. “All Hyderabadis seem to be moving towards the west; we have a young crowd living here,” she says, referring to the city’s expansion in this part of the town. “Traffic was also a problem for art enthusiasts visiting the gallery in Ameerpet. If people can’t come to us, we take the space to them.” Bhargavi says this expansion is an important step in teaching viewers the language of contemporary art and showcasing the world to the city. “The audience develops an intellectual way of looking at things.”
Intellectual affair
Mentors Roundtable, an event held as part of Dhi Contemporary’s launch, saw participation of art educators from across the country. Some of the experts were Parul Dave Mukherji, Sanchayan Ghosh, Sarada Natarajan, Kavitha Balakrishnan, BV Suresh, Indrapramit Roy, and Suresh Jayaram. The launch also marked the opening of the exhibition In Defense of Intuition. Curated by Srinivas Aditya Mopidevi, the exhibition at the 2006- square feet gallery, featuring the works of Astha Butail, Shruthi Mahajan, Meghana Gavireddygari, Parul Gupta, Asim Waqif and Murali Chinnasamy, looks at ‘abstraction as an intuitive process linked to body memory.’
Bhargavi Gundala
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Dhi Artspace’s launch was a step to revive the slow growth of the contemporary art scene in the city. To create an awareness and a platform for young artists was the inspiration, says Bhargavi. Dhi Contemporary carries forward this goal while expanding the critical dialogue initiated by Dhi and creating a new generation of art connoisseurs among tech professionals, entrepreneurs, cultural connoisseurs and students through its initiatives.
Multiple verticals
By Astha Butail
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Thanks to its multiple verticals, an art space (interactive space for diverse artistic engagements), residency (bringing young talents to respond to the city), Foundation for Art and Culture Education (FACE) Foundation (related to the education of young artists) and a collective (taking conversations of art to the public with its interactive events such as book launches, talks, and poetry reading sessions)… the nine-year journey has witnessed sustained growth.
By Murali Chinnasamy
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
The gallery also stood first in its debut at the India Art Fair 2023. “Moving forward with diverse segments helps to educate and create a certain kind of culture in Hyderabad. I believe education is the only tool to raise the importance of a city and country; kill education, and the city dies on its own.”
Dhi carved a niche by promoting only contemporary art. Candid about not promoting decorative art or artists doing reproductions, Bhargavi says, “One is not aware of the significant impact of contemporary art; It affects the system, stimulates the intellectual part that handles sensitivities and argumentative status.”
By Shrishti Rana Menon
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Does she, an artist-art collector, ever get time to paint? “Art is not about doing for me. I’m more than an artist. Dialogue with a new artwork every day has improved my (art) language. ” With Delhi-based curator Srinivas Aditya Mopidevi taking charge of its curated exhibitions, performances, film screenings and site-specific commissions, Dhi Contemporary’s new chapter promises to sparkle on the art circuit.
Bhargavi looks forward to people’s participation in her initiatives. “ I eagerly await the response of the artists and art enthusiasts in Hyderabad.”